Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign unraveled in the space of six catastrophic overs in Colombo as they collapsed to 29 for 4, ultimately leading to a 23-run defeat against Zimbabwe. The powerplay disaster has thrown Australia’s entire tournament into jeopardy.
The collapse began on the very first ball that Blessing Muzarabani bowled, with Josh Inglis holing out for 8 runs. What followed was a batting masterclass in how not to chase a total. Cameron Green arrived at the crease and departed first ball, caught behind for a golden duck. Tim David suffered an identical fate next delivery, also caught behind without scoring. At 25 for 3, Australia was in freefall with the powerplay barely half-completed.
Acting captain Travis Head tried to arrest the slide but managed only 17 runs before chopping onto his stumps. His dismissal brought the score to 29 for 4, completing one of the worst powerplay performances in Australia’s T20 World Cup history. The statistical rarity of losing four wickets in the powerplay highlighted just how poorly Australia had executed their chase. The scoreboard pressure was immense, with more than two-thirds of the innings still remaining.
Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell mounted a spirited recovery, combining for 77 runs and briefly making victory seem achievable. Renshaw was particularly impressive, scoring 65 off 44 balls with powerful shots down the ground. Maxwell contributed 31 runs batting in his distinctive style without a helmet. However, when both players chopped onto their stumps—Maxwell in the 17th over and Renshaw in the 19th—the game was effectively over.
Marcus Stoinis managed just 6 runs, and the lower order offered token resistance as Australia was bowled out for 146 with three balls remaining. Muzarabani finished with career-best figures of 4 for 17. Zimbabwe’s victory, their first over Australia in T20 World Cup cricket since 2007, was built on Brian Bennett’s unbeaten 64. Australia now faces potential elimination unless they defeat Sri Lanka convincingly.